Quote: "It irks me that you say our dogs aren't depressed when you aren't here to see them. It doesn't take a rocket scientist for an owner to know when their dog is depressed and possibly ill. . . ."
Whoa Girl!! I apologize for upsetting you. I was just trying to point out - that lying around the house - and sleeping more than usual in the winter - isn't always necessarily a sign of depression.... and it isn't.
I put one of my dogs to sleep last year - and my other dog really wasn't himself. He was grieving and it was very obvious and very understandable too. It was sad. But, thankfully a new puppy brought him back to life.
There isn't a lot on the Internet about dogs being depressed - so, it obviously isn't very common, but I did find this ... and other articles similar to this....
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Like humans, dogs do occasionally suffer from bouts of depression. They get mopey, lethargic, stop eating, and drink only minimal amounts of water, stop wanting to play, and even lose drastic amounts of weight.
What can cause this in pets?
Grief, change of scenery, or sometimes it is a chemical imbalance, needing medication to correct it. Even the weather can adversely affect a normally happy dog. Or your health.
As a pet owner, how do you fight an invisible, inner enemy? The first step is recognizing the problem. You've ruled out all the possible physical causes with help from your veterinarian, now it is time to start looking at the mental causes.
Has your pet recently lost a friend? Perhaps a neighbourhood dog he played with is gone, be it on vacation, or gone over the Rainbow Bridge, but gone nonetheless? Or perhaps his child grew up and moved out?
Losing a playmate, especially an in-home playmate is often a reason for canine depression.
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I looks like grief is the most common cause for a dog to be depressed, but it did mention a few other causes also. Hopefully, your dog has no medical problems. I hope you can figure out what is causing the change in her behavior and can help her feel better.
Good luck! Carol Jean |